Feds trying to shield identity of spies

Category : Canada NewsUpdated On : September 14, 2018 04:58 AM

By Indian Times Daily

Canada's spy agency wants to shield the identities of five current and former employees from the public when they testify in the lawsuit of a Montreal man who was detained in Sudan — prompting vehement objections from the man's lawyer.

In newly filed court documents, federal lawyers say the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) identities must be kept confidential in order to protect the individuals from personal harm and to ensure the service can continue to work effectively.

It is the latest legal spat in the long-running case of Abousfian Abdelrazik, who is suing the Canadian government for an apology and compensation over his lengthy overseas detention.

Abdelrazik, 56, arrived in Canada from Africa as a refugee in 1990. He became a Canadian citizen five years later. He was arrested during a 2003 visit to Sudan to see family. In custody there, Abdelrazik was interrogated by CSIS about suspected extremist links.